A Dirth of Tolerance

It would appear that we are not a tolerant society after all. In Calgary a religious statue is stolen from a church, defaced, recovered. Such acts of vandalism have happened before. But the out pour of vitriotic comments on both sides on the CBC website is even more indicative of the sorry state of our society. One bleats blatantly, “ We owe no respect to your personal beliefs.” Over 30% of those reading his comment agreed with it. Teaching school children that all truth is relevant, there are no absolutes, for these last twenty years or more, apparently has not produced a tolerant society.

Time to quote Booker T. Washington,

“I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.”

Related

thehappymoronsaid

I have found CBC comments to be nearly always vitriolic. I think it comes from the fact that a common article brings together extreme viewpoints, which are posted relatively anonymously.

It’s very difficult to overestimate the bad behaviour of people when they are acting anonymously.

On many subject specific websites and forums, posters exist in some semblance of community (they bump into one another on other forums about the same subject, there is some form of continuous interaction), and it is worthwhile to maintain a persona and a reputation. Ergo, restraint.

adisasullivansaid

As in, the mask is not necessary, and the inner ugliness shines forth in all it’s glory. I forget who it is that gave the advice that you should always pay attention to what people say to you when they are angry. Such comments are often their unvarnished beliefs. Jostle the pitcher and what is inside will spill out.